This invention is an improvement of my invention U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,753 dated Dec. 27, 1983 and filed Nov. 25, 1981 entitled "Multichannel Masking Camera and Projector." This present invention is a simplification of the previous invention and is limited in application to the controlled masking or combination of a single image by another image. It can be used in an optical printer for motion pictures, a photographic enlarger or a transparency copier. The introductory comments regarding masking etc, in my invention U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,753 also apply to this invention. Other similarities and differences will become apparent. (Other references in this application are U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,085,469, 2,354,108, 3,912,361.
Although my invention U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,753 overcomes many difficulties and inconveniences of previous masking techniques and devices and is cheaper to produce and operate than many electro-optical approaches to photo-image control and enhancement--it can be further simplified and improved to speed up the operation as shown in this invention.
These improvements embodied in this invention are applicable to the production of contrast controlled reproduction, edge enhancement, subtractive image combination and similar effects. Multi-channel effects such as controlled image combinations in which each channel require masking or control, multi color masking control, etc, which require more than one masking channel will still be better performed with a multi channel masking systems as described in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,753.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method of and an improved image enhancement apparatus for use in producing improved enhanced photography and cinematography.
Another object of this invention is to provide a simpler method of and an apparatus for controlling the contrast and edge enhancement of images while one is observing the results of the modification before recording the resulting image in an enlarger, transparency duplicator or cinematographic optical printer.
Still another object of this invention is to provide in an optical system, with a means of controlling image contrast by Flare or Vieling glare control.
A further object of this invention is to provide an in-situ development device for use in camera-projector systems.
Other objects and advantages will appear as the following detailed description proceeds.